The End is Where We Began
by blueprintLV
Summary: The Devils are Evil. War between Devils, Fallen Angels and Angels began once again. Human world was thrown into chaos and they fought as well as they could...throwing away their humanities. Gangsta. inspired mercenary story, featuring a friendship from Issei and Saji. /AU/Human Issei and Saji/Slight Gore/Probably one-shot/


_AU/A world in which Devils are Evil and the Three-way war began once again._

* * *

This world has gone to shit.

Everything began about 10 years ago, when the three-way of the Great Powers began to wage war against each-other.

Devils, of course are evil. They were the ones who decided to attack, and fallen angels followed them. The human world was thrown into chaos. More than 60 percent of the human population died out. Caught in crossfires, killed on purpose, used in counter-force.

Of course, a human can't hold their own even against the weakest of devils. Usually. For that, a small bit later, the ''saviors'' came down from the heaven. All of the churches, with Vatican in lead, took over the human world, changing it for ever.

Even now, 8 years after their involvement, small skirmishes still happen, but the casualties have been giant on all sides, with humans being the most destroyed. That lead...to the downfall of the humanity as we knew it.

Most of the world is inhabitable. Monsters, shadows and God knows what other creatures of the nightmares. Because of this, there are a few big cities, that have became larger, but destroyed in process. Most of these cities are divided into three parts. The center - The Capital of the city is where angels and exorcists remain. They are pure, untainted. Only the worthy, the rich or those who are summoned can enter. The second part, which spans around the capital is the living area, the average part. The normal, above-average people live there. Those, who have something to give to humanity. Maybe they have degrees, they have worth-while skills, they know recipes, how to create food, how to sew, maybe they have knowledge over agriculture or mechanics. And then, the slums. Abandoned and destroyed buildings, orphans, beggars, infected...

All of the lowest scum of the world live in the slums of these big cities.

One of the big cities..is Kuoh.

However, not all of humans are completely worthless. In the world where Sacred Gears were given to humans just so they could fight on equal footing with monsters...most of those people are unfortunate.

The people with sacred gears were forced into programs, with varying success. To strengthen the wielders, all ethics were thrown out of the window. Experiments, operations, various drugs were tested to improve the Sacred Gear wielders. To improve their mind powers, to improve their constitution, their strength, speed...in hopes of creating super soldiers.

Some of that succeeded, most failed. The high-dose patients died in a few days after, clawing their throats out from pain, the people who were tested, but not as much, most of them survived. They survived, their strength, speed, regeneration improved, just slightly. Nothing much, but they could hold their own against devils now. Weak ones, of course. But that came at a big price. Their life-spans, their sanities, all what was given, was lost. Most lost ten or twenty years of their life, some fifty.

They were pulled into war zones, battling their way trough fire and hell. Those who survived, some were moved up the ranks, becoming nobles, war heroes.

Some, however, did not. Their strengths were not enough. Their intellect, their attitude, mix or all of these things were what led to those thrown out of the army. They were marked and became free-roaming mercenaries. Hunters. The Marked. Or whatever else kind of names they were given.

Marks on their foreheads –A letter and numbers. They were made to be the lowest of the low. Beneath beggars, if they even dared to touch normal humans, they would be executed. And that was how most of them lived. Working for scraps, killing, surviving among the scum of the earth.

To enforce this, a few exorcists were made into their bosses. Every few days they had to check in with them, give their blood.

This world...is wrong.

* * *

 **2026, March, The United State of Asia, Kuoh.**

Sun was long gone. The footsteps could be heard trough the run-down, half-destroyed building. A few years ago, it probably had been an apartment building for families, but now only shattered glass, ruined furniture, holes in the walls and nothing homely had remained.

Footsteps that were anything but normal. Erratic, heavy.

A man dressed in dark clothes jumped backwards, dodging a sword, his dogtags fluttering before his eye.

The man leaned his head backwards, to the point of pain to his spine, as a ragged boot flailed past his chin.

His enemy was inhuman. He was one of them. A hunter. A marked. A tagged.

His eye narrowed on his forehead, trying to see what level he was. Somehow, through the erratic dodging, he noticed the marking on the enemy's forehead.

'' **S**!?'' - He roared in anger, realizing he was pretty much screwed.

The attacker smirked, as he noticed his opponents marking, above his eyebrow.

He was... **A**.

His back hit a wall with a bang, as he stomped his right leg to the side, his head barely dodging a sword that impaled the wall right where it had been not a second ago. The amount of time that would take the enemy to pull the sword out could be used as an advantage, so the man jumped right at his enemy.

 **[BOOOST!]**

A red, half-gauntlet appeared on his hand, as his single eye narrowed. Using his rather short statue to his advantage, he came from below, his right fist coming at an angle, but his eye went wide, as his opponent didn't grab the sword's handle. Instead, he spun his body, blocked his fist with his own left forearm, and kicked him in the side.

 **CRACK!**

'' _GUH-_!'' – The man stumbled forwards, feeling two or three ribs shatter, as a another fist connected to his face, cracking his nose. An elbow came down at his head, when he heard a scream from his behind.

''ISSEI, DODGE LEFT!''

He threw his body left, tumbling down at the ground in a pathetic display, whilst above him a purple line came from behind him, latching onto his attacker's arm.

Issei quickly got up, wiping the blood flowing from his nose.

''Saji, this fucker is an '' **S** '' level!'' – He shouted, seeing Saji's eyes go wide.

Saji also had an '' **A** '' above his left eyebrow. They both were '' **A** '' levels, while '' **S** '' was above them. '' **S** '' stood for ''special'' rank. He growled once more, in frustration.

''HOLD HIM BACK!'' – Issei shouted, his single eye, the one that wasn't covered with an eyepatch, went wide. He stumbled backwards, pulling out an small, metallic box. It was more long, than wide.

Meanwhile, Saji stood, staring at the ''Marked'', a knife in his hand. The tagged, pulled his hand forwards, making Saji stumble.

''Shit!'' – He shouted, dashing at the enemy. He had no choice. The tagged pulled out his sword, as they clashed their weapons. While they had locked each-other out, the tagged still managed to kick Saji in the knee.

So, he did what he could, rolling backwards, as a cut appeared on his chest, tearing a hole in his ragged, grey shirt. –''FASTER, I CAN'T HOLD HIM FOREVER!'' - He shouted, getting punched in his face and stomach, unable to dodge. The man was way too fast.

Issei grunted, as he opened the small case. Inside, a bunch of old syringes, most empty. Only two out of the 6 were not empty. His arm shaking, he took the one with the X marking, as the others fell to the ground.

Without any hesitation, he pulled off the cap with his teeth, and punched the syringe into his neck, just above the collarbone. His eye went wide, becoming bloodshot. As the cold as ice liquid filled his veins, his muscle contracted, and he stepped forwards.

 **[BOOOST!]**

The green light dazzled trough the murky darkness.

''GET OFF HIM!'' – With a roar, Issei screamed and Saji jumped as far back as he could, releasing his Sacred Gear.

Issei dashed forwards, his speed had doubled once again. Under his dark pants, he could feel his small arteries, on his legs, rupture.

But it wasn't enough to stop him, as his fist connected against the ''Marked's'' face, shattering his cheekbone, however even that didn't have an effect on the attacker, as he swung his sword downwards.

Issei, with his twice enhanced speed, stepped sideways, avoiding it, and upper-cutted him in the stomach.

The attacker stumbled backwards, as they exchanged places. With new-found anger, the attacker charged at him, swinging his sword erratically, and Issei had no choice but to fall back.

He looked backwards, and allowed himself to be pushed back.

Issei's back hit a support pillar and he froze.

''GOT YOU!'' – The attacker roared, his bloody face pulling in a rabbid smile, as he swung his sword sideways

Issei smirked, jumping upwards and pulling his legs close to his body, as the sword hit into the support pillar, slowing down it's movement.

Issei extended his legs back, landing on the blade.

'' **FUCK YOU!** '' – He roared, using all his might to kick the enemy in the chin, whilst still on the sword.

 **CRACK!**

Issei landed behind his enemy, who was staggered and stumbled backwards, as Saji lunged at him, pushing him into the support pillar, and releasing his Sacred Gear's function, as the purple line wrapped around the enemy's body, and Saji jumped behind the pillar.

''I'M HOLDING HIM, **GO!** ''

Issei's eye went narrow, as he dashed at the enemy, leaning his body forwards, contracting his muscle, to pull out everything he had. His half-gauntleted arm had been pulling into a fist so strongly, that it hurt.

He felt the small arteries in his arm tear, and he roared.

'' **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** ''

His fist connected with the attackers face, shattering his head, as blood, bone, brain, and fluid spilled all over the place. The punch was so strong, that even the support pillar, behind the enemy's head was cracked.

Issei stumbled backwards, falling over. His body began to shake, as he began to puke blood.

Saji quickly ran over to the place where Issei had dropped his syringes, took the last one, that had a red marking on it, and stabbed it into Issei's neck, while he was erratically moving and shaking.

After a few seconds, he began to calm down, as the Sacred Gear on his arm turned to dust.

''You are abusing the serum, it's way too dangerous.''

The syringe that Issei had used was a serum that could artificially ''level up'' a Marked one. For a small while, it could stimulate his nerves, muscle, bones and reaction time so he would become stronger. However, it destroyed the Marked one's bodies. Normal humans simply die from the serum.

Overdosing the serum was also lethal, while abusing it made for horrendous health drawbacks.

The serum that Saji had used on Issei was a reverse reaction, that neutralized the previous serum.

Issei coughed, as he tried to respond. –''...No choice, Saji. You saw it, he was an **S** rank. Even us, at **A** rank, we can't hold a candle against them.

''But really...An **S** rank, here, of all places. Do you think they knew? Did they set us up?''

''Maybe. They would want to get rid of failures like us.'' – Issei said, wiping off the blood from his lips and chin, however smudges from it remained.

''I don't think we would be removed now, after all of this time. We are useful.'' – Saji glanced at the dead ''Marked'', who was simply leaning against the support pillar without his head, his dogtags dangling over what was left of his neck. He walked over and grabbed them.

''Hmm...I recognize the number. ''S-11''. He has a bounty on his head for basically every crime under the sun.'' - Saji stated, humming, as he wrapped the dogtags around his arm and smirked. –''C'mon, get up. We need to do what we came to do, after all.''

Issei grunted, and got up, his one eye narrow and bloodshot. –''Where are they?''

''Come, they are somewhere, over in the basement side. I was about to get rid of them, but then I heard you scream like a madman, so I came to help.''

''Thank you very much, asshole. I told you we shouldn't split up.''

''Always welcome.'' – He chuckled, touching his dirt-blonde hair, that was pulled into a small pony tail, at the back of his head.

Saji sighed, looking at Issei's statue. His once brown hair was black. Probably from the experiments. His right eye was bloodshot, while his left was covered with an eyepatch. Spanning below and above it was an old scar. Above his right eyebrow, a tattoo that stated ''A-XIII'' could be seen. He was bleeding from his nose and lip, an old scar spanning from his eye down to his chin, over his lip. Blood had dripped down his neck, where it flowed over his shoulder blades. The skin by his neck, where he would inject the serum was turned black and blue, giving off a junkie vibe. His clothes were made out of a rag-tag of combinations. A slim, black coat, that spanned down over his back, ending an inch or two above his knees and it was open, uncovering a grey, ripped and dirty shirt and his dogtags, and his black pants were suppose to be wider, but the ends of them were hidden in his high-top boots, tied with dirty lace.

Issei turned around, and took the sword that belonged to S-11 before. He spun it around, looking at it. It was a simple, one handed, straight edge sword with a golden handle.

''War spoils.'' – Issei grumbled, looking up at Saji's face. –''What?''

''Nothing, I was just thinking how shitty you look right now.'' – He said, jogging forwards and then down a set of stairs.

''Give me a break, you look only slightly better.'' – Issei stated offhandedly, as he jogged after him.

Saji was wearing a dark brown military jacket, above his grey shirt, and a military cargo pants, also tucked in his lace-up boots. His dogtags flowed freely above his shirt. He had a small scar above his marking that stated ''A-XLVII''. Most of his other scars were covered up by clothes.

They arrived at a metallic door, obviously out of place. Issei raised the now his sword, and jammed it into the small gap between the doors and the wall, just above the lock.

He nodded to Saji, who jumped upwards, and smashed his boot against the sword.

The lock shattered, and the doors opened. Saji landed, and they both looked into the basement room. Most were men, and a few women.

Issei's face pulled into a disgusted expression.

It was a den of trash. The beggars and the whores. There were many of such places, in most of which criminals hid. Thieves and murderers mostly.

''That S-rank was protecting them? What a waste.'' – Saji spoke, clear disgust to his voice.

''Seems like it.'' – issei sighed. –''Well then...''

Saji cleared his throat, as the twenty or a bit more people looked at him with fear.

''We have been sent by the Church. Our orders are to exterminate this den of trash.'' – Saji stated, his voice becoming cold. –''You shall be punished for taking that what doesn't belong to you, and for taking lives.''

''Please don't blame us. Blame yourself...'' – Issei stated, his single narrowing down on a particularly angry looking individual. –' _'and the world_.''

In a second, his sword had decapitated one of them, and then simply spun around, his leg shattering another enemy's head. Saji was doing the same, only with knife.

Some tried to fight back, some tried to run, but it was but naught. Those who tried to run were captured by Saji's Sacred Gear's line, others simply perished under their fists and legs.

A normal human couldn't hold a candle against the Marked ones.

A minute later, the floor, the walls and even the ceiling was covered in dark blood. Issei wiped his face, that had a bit of blood on it.

He sighed. –''Done, Saji?''

Saji raised his leg, and lowered it on a person's head, shattering his skull. –''Sure. Are you alright?''

''I feel like shit, I'm sleepy, but I'll manage.'' – Issei said, groaning. –''Let's go already, or else I'm gonna puke from the stench.''

Saji nodded, and they quickly jogged out of the crumbling building. Outside, the clouds had stooped in front of the moon, blocking any kind of light.

''Good that our eye-sight is better from the experiments, huh...'' – Saji spoke up, making small-talk, as they trudged along, back to their apartment.

''...Mhm.'' – Issei agreed, his head spinning, from the over-exertion, the sword hanging at his waist, having been put between his belt. He coughed, putting his arm in front of his face, and then noticed a bit of blood.

 _Shit._

* * *

Next day came, together with drops of rain. Clouds once again covered the azure sky, as Issei and Saji moved towards the capital.

The slums were made like that. Issei and Saji both lived in a small, run-down apartment building a few kilometers away from the middle part of the city. The closer they moved to it, the more acceptable the slums became.

Their statues, similar in height and their muscular physique, crossed trough an alleyway. Most of these alleyways were filled with some kind of attraction. Some had shops, some had places to rest, some had girls who would play with you – if you had the money.

Before they arrived at their destination, a women grabbed into Issei's arm from behind. Shorter than him, a revealing dress, alluring expression. –''Hey...you look like a strong man...want to have some fun?''

Issei heard her voice, before another women pulled her off.

''Don't, he's a-!'' – Another women, older reprimanded her, as Issei turned his body fully towards her.

He smirked, showing off his teeth.

The older women backed off immediately, while the younger one froze in fear. She observed his scarred face, his single, brown eye, the vertical scar spanning down his face, and finally the mark above his eyebrow. –''Marked...''

''Indeed.'' – Issei responded. –''Now fuck off.''

The escort ran, her face dyed by equal fear and disgust. A few men, who were near raised from their seats, but only a single one dared to come closer.

''Don't talk to our girls like this. You failures, freaks, can't even touch us. You'd get killed instantly.'' – The muscular, obviously working for the brothel, man spoke up, staring Issei at Issei.

Saji sighed. –''Here we go again.''

''Yes. There are laws on what can be done, and what can't. If I touched you, right here, right now, I would be executed as an order of utmost importance.'' – Issei smirked, stepping right at the man's face, pulling his collar violently.

From up close, the man's expression turned to fear.

''However. Are you ready to forever be afraid? I can't kill you now...but if you step outside the walls, I will be there. If you ever remain outside for too long after the hours, if we ever meet each other in a dark corner...be afraid.''

The man was shaking. Issei released his collar, pushing him back. –'' _For death comes marked._ ''

Saji rubbed the backside of his head, as the now scared shitless man ran away. –''Really? Is this what our lives have came to be? 27 years of living, and this is what we get? To scare random thugs?'''

Issei had made a scene, as most people were looking out of the run-down apartment buildings, or from the even smaller side-alleys, dressed in scraps, rather than clothes. They had to move, before the guard-force would come and try to start shit.

''Ah, shut it.'' – Issei made a ''che'' sound and continued to their destination. A few turns after, now much closer to the normal living part, they entered a run-down office building.

Inside, the guards narrowed their eyes on the sight of them two, as they pushed pass them. They turned left, and then knocked on the first doors. It simply had a black X on it.

''Come in.'' – A gruff, low, but womanly voice.

They opened it, and a familiar scene entered their mind. On the window sill, a man with black hair, black eyes, a calm face, and a single arm sat. The empty sleeve simply moved in the wind, coming from the open window, as he smoked.

''Yoh.''

He said, nodding with his head. Issei and Saji returned their nod.

The man also had a marking on his forehead. ''A''. He was on their level, or roughly so.

They turned their gaze further in the room, where at the end of it, a woman sat behind a desk. A woman with short, brown hair, dressed in a business suit. Her gaze narrowed on them two.

''You two. Did you do what you were ordered to?'' - She asked, a cigarette still in her mouth, letting off a bit of smoke.

''Yes, yes, we did, Miss Hanae.'' – Saji answered, stepping forwards, while Issei walked over to the man sitting on the ledge.

''Ayato.'' – He called, taking out a pack of cigarettes out of his inner-coat pocket. Before handing it over, he took out one from it and placed it on the corner of his mouth.

As Ayato took the packet, he placed a few crumpled bills in Issei's hand. Issei sighed, as Ayato had taken out a lighter from his pocket, whilst he hid the cigarette pack, and offered the flame to Issei.

''Tough day?'' – Ayato asked.

''Yesterday was.'' - Issei nodded, as the office went into frenzy.

'' **S** LEVEL?'' – The women, named Hanae screamed, jumping up. Her statue was a bit taller than Issei's and Saji's, as she grabbed the dogtags from Saji's arms.

''And ''11''th? That guy...fucking hell.''

''What? What about him?'' – Issei asked, in his ''pissed off'' voice. That women was untamable, and thus, the only way to get something out of her, was to scream louder than her.

''He was an S-rank because he got more drugs and modifications than you. Because of that, his sacred gear wasn't anything that spectacular, only it allowed him to increase his speed...however, this guy, this fuckin' guy stole a holy sword.''

Issei looked downwards, then upwards, and he pulled out the sword from between his belt and threw it at the desk in front of him.

She shrieked, pulling at her own hair. –''Fuckkkk!''

''WHAT, YOU BIMBO?'' – Issei shouted, as she tried to slap at him, but he dodged.

''Do you not understand? A holy sword stolen...you have to go to capital.''

''Fuck that, I ain't going.'' – Issei responded, using the same slang that Hanae was using.

''...We have to go, Issei.'' - Saji said, once again touching his hair. –''I don't want to...but think of the money. We gonna get rich.''

Issei grumbled. –''How much did we get for this job?''

''10 thousand yen.''

''Are you shitting me, you old hag?'' – Issei shouted at Hanae, whose eyes went bloodshot.

''Who are you calling a hag, you shorty? I shouldn't give you jack, just because how unbearable you are!''

Cue Ayato holding back Hanae, while Saji held back Issei.

''Now, now, you children, no need to fight.'' – Saji spoke, and released Issei after a few seconds. –''Hanae, we get bounty for S-11's head and we get money for returning the holy sword, right?''

She nodded.

''A lot?''

''For your standards? Yes. For a the Vatican's exorcists, or the Holy Vanguard, they are pennies.

'' _Aghhhhhh_!'' – He groaned. –''I guess we have no choice then?''

''Yeah. Let's go.'' – Saji spoke. –''Take the damn sword.''

Issei made an exaggerated sigh, and took the sword.

''I'll let the capital know you are coming.''

Issei, who was able to keep the cigarette between his teeth, finished it in one drag. –''Such a pain.''

He exhaled the smoke, and followed Saji, to exit the room.

* * *

When they walked trough one of the many gates that lead into the the ''normal'' part of the city, the second level, it was a world apart. The buildings were normal, as they had been more than ten years ago, before the war. The streets were not littered, and...the population looked normal. People were dressed in normal clothes.

Between the crowd, even a few school uniforms could be seen. Issei sighed. This...would be bothersome.

They were the center of attention, as they moved. Even if they took alleyways, it was annoying as hell. People with eyes filled with disgust and loathe.

''Saji, want to know what I hate the most? That these fucks forget that we served in the army as well. We fought Devils and Fallen Angels teeth for teeth, destroying our bodies along the way, but still, they show us these glares.''

''I know. But please, don't talk about it now. If you do, I am liable to kill someone.'' – Saji spoke, grabbing into his dogtogs.

Issei nodded, and he touched his eyepatch. Under it, was an empty eye socket and a torn face.

Even though they were like circus freaks among bunch of normal humans, everything was fine, until Issei heard a voice that was reminiscent of his past.

And then, their gazes met. Or at least, half met.

Brown hair, flowing down to her waist under an umbrella. Slightly yellow eyes, a small nose. Modern glasses with pink rims. Skinny jeans and a jacket with a fur collar. She was talking to two other women, roughly the same age as her.

How long had it been?

10 years?

Something like that. A bit more than 10 years ago, the war began when Issei was in his second year at Kuoh. The world was thrown into chaos and no one saw anyone anymore.

Until now.

It was a cruel twist of fate.

Kiryuu Aika stood in front of them two. Saji didn't really know the girl, but Issei did.

She looked as cute as she did back in school. Well, a bit more mature, so he guessed it would be better to call her beautiful instead.

Her eyes went wide, her body freezing, unable to move. Her friends walked a bit further, before stopping at looking back.

There was no need for words. Aika saw what had become of her once perverted classmate. The scars, the clothes, the mark above his eyebrow.

''Aika, what happened?'' – One of her friends called. –''Oh...Aika...don't stare at _them_.''

Her friend changed her intonation, as she understood at whom Aika was looking at, bewildered.

Issei smirked, and Aika...recovered.

''Nothing. Let's go.'' – She responded, and ran along towards her friends.

It was an exchange that happened in a matter of seconds, but it felt like a lifetime.

''You know her?'' – Saji, walking next to him, asked.

''Nah.'' – He responded, trying to move quicker.

He was trying to block out memories of his two other friends getting killed in front of his eyes...back when he still had both of them. Those two pervs...died virgins.

...

It didn't take long, as they arrived at the gates to the Capital.

Two exorcists, dressed in white robes looked at them like they were the scum of the earth, as they were ready to take out their sheathed blades, before Saji took lead, not trusting Issei's temper.

''We are here to deliver the holy sword, sirs.'' – He said, bowing, and forcing Issei to bow.

''...Che. I see. We were told about this...Go on in.'' – One of the exorcists spoke, not bothering to hide the hatred.

The gates opened, and they both walked inside.

The Capital was ridiculous. Dazzling white. Marble floors everywhere, castle like constructions, support pillars on streets...it looked like ancient Greece or Rome. Issei had been in the capital only once before, but that was enough to know where to go.

It was a desolate place, the capital. No humans were around, nor were angels. It was a busy day, they both had to assume. After a bit of walking, they turned to walk into a small castle.

They talked to the women at the central desk, and she told them where to go. After that, they arrived at a pair of double-doors, poured with golden lining.

''...We can still turn back.'' – Issei stated.

''Fuck that.'' – Saji narrowed his eyes, as he opened the doors, while Issei advertently sighed and followed.

It was a dome. White marble floors, white marble pillars, a view into the capital behind them. A women with brown hair, dressed in a white business suit stood with her back to them.

''Are you the Marked's with the holy sword?'' – She asked, with a surprisingly childish voice.

''We are.'' – Saji responded.

The women turned around. Big, purple eyes, a small noise, thin lips. A cute face. -''Good. I'll call the Holy Vanguard.''

''For what purpose?'' – Saji asked, his eyes widening, together with Issei's.

''They were ready to go in for a recovery task, but that was foiled when you two Marked's supposedly killed an **S** rank and got the sword back.'' – She sighed, coming closer, her high heels echoing as she moved. –''Give the tags and the sword to me.''

She ordered.

Saji took the tags out of his ragged pants' pocket, while Issei drew the sword. The women, having taken the tags, walked up to Issei and took the sword from him. From up close, she thought that the Marked' one with the A-XIII on his forehead seamed familiar, but she threw away that thought.

She looked at the sword, then the tag. –''Huh. You didn't lie. She touched her ear, where an earpiece was. After saying a few words, she went silent.

Issei and Saji stood there, awkwardly, in their dusty and ragged clothes, out of place. Their bodies in general were out of place for the pure whiteness the Capital had.

The doors behind them opened, and three of the Holy Vanguard walked in. A single tall male, a single average height one, and one a bit on the short side. All three of them had blonde-white hair, dressed in noble attire, flowing capes, all white. They stopped by the woman, taking the weapon.

''Thank you, Irina. This will be returned to the Church, where it will be used properly.

Without a second glance, they turned to walk away. The women also turned her back to them, walking away.

Issei's face pulled into a rabid expression.-''Don't you fucks dare. _DON'T YOU DARE_!''

''Issei-!'' – Saji, trying to stop him, shouted, but it was for naught.

The Holy Vanguard froze, as Issei was already grabbing the shortest one by his shoulder. He spun around, punching at Issei's face.

He dodged, touching the ground, and kicked up, grazing one of the holy guard's head, but in an instant moment, he was already crashed into the ground, his arm almost dislocated, a single sword held at his throat, while the third of Holy Vanguard put his boot on Issei's head.

''Disgusting. Why do you dare to touch us with your dirty, Marked's hands? We are the Holy Vanguard. We answer to the church and to God only. Do you thing you have the same privilege, **scum**?''

''Listen, we are sor-'' – Saji tried to interject, but Issei stopped him, with his own words.

''Don't pretend to be Holy heroes. We were the first ones to protect the humans. We saw hell, literally and figuratively. For 8 years we fought on the front lines...If my hands are dirty, then they are so from the blood of Devils and Fallen Angels.'' – Issei's single eye went wide. –''And don't you dare undermind what we did. Give us the money. _Now_.''

Still bolted to the floor, his voice carried a presence that was bigger than his frame. Way bigger.

His head was pressed against the ground by a Holy Vanguard's boot even harder. –''Want to know what disgusts me the most? You are at fault for where you are in life. You were too incompetent to remain as a soldier, and thus you were thrown out, marked and banished to the slums, to forever remain as cleaners.'' – He banged his boot against Issei's head. –''And you have the audacity to talk back to me? You are at fault. Not us.''

Issei's face turned rabid. –''Fuck you. Fuck you. _Fuck you._ Our bodies were ravaged by the serums and experiments, we were the first test subjects. After we improved the serums, came you...and want to know something? I was thrown out for fighting back after my eye was plucked out by a Holy Vanguard like you. The other guy was thrown for helping me.''

''So, what? Am I to feel guilty for that?''

''Fuck if I care. I just want you to stop walking with your noses in the clouds, acting as if you are better than we. If it weren't for us, there wouldn't be most of you.''

The man sighed, and took out a check book. He wrote a sum on it and tore it off, throwing the piece of paper to the ground.

''Kiba, Freed, let's go.'' – The tall man spoke, as the shortest one, with a crazed expression released Issei's arm and sighed. The average height guard's sword disappeared in thin air. They turned to walk away, as the shortest one stepped on the check, as to show utter disgust.

Issei groaned, his body still painfully laid out on the floor, as Saji ran up to help him up. Before that, he grabbed into the check. After getting up, they both glanced at it.

''300 000 yen.'' – Saji stated, his mouth going wide.

''The humiliation was worth it.'' – Issei stated, looking back at the bewildered girl in the white suit. –''Let's move, we need to cash it in.

* * *

A few hours had passed. The money was cashed in. Issei was eating good food, dressed in normal, comfortable pants and in a white wool shirt. Same could be spoken about Saji.

Issei sighed, as he chomped down on meat like an animal. How long had it been since he had it? It felt like a lifetime.

After having done that, Issei walked into the living room. It was a mess. An old, worn out couch in the side, a scraped, run-down closet and a few chairs, all of them mismatched. The walls were in an ugly shade of brown. Dirty, and slightly cracked.

Issei exited the living room, went into the hallway, and then into the staircase, walking up a single row...and ending up on a roof.

Their run-down room was on the fifth floor of a crumbling apartment building. He walked over to the edge of the roof, his clothes fluttering in the wind, same as his short, black hair, that held traces of white hairs here and there.

He looked over the slums.

They were disgusting, worthless and dirty.

But it was a place in which he remained. Certainly, undoubtedly.

He was there.

''You know, I never regret helping you that day. That day, in which everything went to shit.''

It was Saji, who had sneaked up on him.

''Really? You could be the one writing 300 thousand yen checks without a blink of your eye.''

Saji chuckled. –''I blame you for us being poor. But well...we are brothers. We became brothers the day we fought back. I would take a brother above money any time.''

''You're a dumbass...but...I am thankful for your stupidity.'' –Issei responded, turning around.

''Doesn't matter. We are here to stay. We will fight and survive. Maybe one day...we will be praised like heroes.''

''...Your positivity makes me sick.'' – Issei growled. –''you know as well as I do...

 **''This world is wrong.''**

* * *

 _Author's notes._

 _Aaand that's a cut. How did you like it? I read a manga by the name Gangsta. and had a burst of inspiration. Kind of like that, my mind always race around me when I read new, interesting things. This is probably a one-shot._

 _Maybe, if this is received extremely well, I'll write a few more chapters. Can't tell._

 _About Issei's sacred gear. He can use his boosts two times, if he uses the serum. The sacred gear he has isn't a longinus. It's the normal, Twice Critical. Though luck, huh? Hahaha. Saji has his beginning Sacred Gear, the Vritra line._

 _Many characters made a cameo with their way different lifes. Because of war, Kiba wasn't executed, and Freed didn't run, because there were enough devils to kill. Aika is a normal girl. The two pervs died, as a casualty of the war. Saji didn't have a backstory in canon, so I decided he was a human that lived in the same city as Issei before becoming a devil in canon._

 _Also, Ayato and Hanae from Greed made a cameo. Interesting how that works out, huh._

 _Oh btw. No homo._

 _Please leave a review with your thoughts!~_


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